Five men accused of trafficking and raping teenage girls will stand trial today.

The men, all from Peterborough, were arrested as part of a Cambridgeshire Police investigation into the alleged abuse of girls vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Prosecutor Patricia Lynch is due to open the case at Cambridge Crown Court in a trial expected to last up to eight weeks.

Yasir Ali, 28, of Grange Road, denies six counts of rape, two of making indecent photographs of children, one of sexual activity in the presence of a child, seven of trafficking and one of witness intimidation.

Daaim Ashraf, 19, of Almoners Lane, denies three counts of rape, one of sexual assault, one of sexual activity with a child, one of sexual activity in the presence of a child, seven of trafficking and one of witness intimidation.

Akash Yashin, 18, of Gladstone Street, denies one count of sexual assault and two of trafficking.

Mohammed Aslam, 24, of Grange Road, denies one count of rape and one of sexual activity in the presence of a child.

James Daly, 25, of Grange Road, denies one count of rape.

Restrictions which had prevented the reporting of the case were lifted by Judge Mark Lucraft after representations from the press at a hearing on Monday.